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Wednesday, 13 January 2016

If there is one thing
you’ll learn once you’re in the Kingdom, is how Saudis carefully handle
conversations. Within the Arabic language, there are certain phrases that are
used very highly and are so common, that those would be the first phrases a
person outside of the Kingdom would learn. Want to know a secret? Saudis don’t
really mean what they say. That’s the truth that you’ll have to grip to once
you join in a conversation with a Saudi. Here are a few phrases that are
commonly said, but not meant.

In
Sha Allah (If God is willing): When you have asked for a
favor, or extended an invite saying and the reply comes in as In Sha Allah you
would think that the invite has been accepted. Though, that is not the case.
Your invitation or proposal has been politely declined. By the time you realize
what they really meant, it’ll be too late. Now the Saudi just has an excuse if
you ask them why they didn’t show up or weren’t able to help you since they
would say that perhaps God didn’t will it. Recommended: Plz
don’t get puzzled if Saudis say “Insha Allah”

Akhbarak
Eih/ Shlonak / Kifek/ Labes? (How are you?): If you have found
yourself in a conversation that has gone awkwardly silent, this is the phrase
that will get you out of it and might re-motivate the gathering that you have
been sitting in. This is a good gesture, but in reality it is just to break the
silence.

Y
Katar khirek (God Bless You): You’ll find waiters and
other sorts of service workers using this tone once you hand then a tip. Don’t
be fooled that their tone is a gesture of gratitude or appreciation, but
instead they’ve used sarcasm to “thank” you for the tip you handed which
according to them is quite less.

Tafaddal
(Come in): If you’ve heard this phrase and spotted a
deep sigh from the one, who said it, understand the very minute that you are
not welcome and they wanted you to stay out. You might see that they would talk
to you, but you’ll just be at unease while talking to them. Instead, you’ll
find yourself leaving within a few minutes.

Bgad?
(Really?): If you’ve been putting up stories and lies
that the hearer has gotten tired of hearing, he’ll put this question up which
indirectly means that he’s had it with your exaggerations!

Yalla!
(Come On!): If they’ve said this in a polite tone,
means they really want you to stay, but if they have yelled this at you
consider the time to leave immediately because now your presence has begun to
bother them.

Mish
Fahiim (I don’t understand): Now this phrase might hurt
you. We often tend to go on about a story or incident, at times ask for advice
from someone. If they have put up this question after you’re done make sure you
note the tone they’ve said it in. Sometimes they would really mean it, but at
other instances they don’t really care what they said and they don’t even want
to hear it again. Only repeat the question or incident if you feel that the
person said it genuinely.